It Really Is Hard Work
by HaLire
Summary: What exactly makes something good anyway?


"The damndest thing is, it's actually creating that's throwing a kink in the whole process."

"Oh? How do you figure that, Marisa?"

"Well, it's like, I want to write this spell, ze~. It's got to be my spell, you know? But it really has to be my spell, ze~. So I get really, really rather hung up on that."

"Hung up in what fashion?"

"Well, I can already see what I want. The outline, I've got it in my head, ze~. It's already like, taken shape. I can almost feel it being there, being real. But then I sit down and try to go ahead and actually make it real, and that's where my problem is ze~."

"And that's where I come across you sitting in front of a tree stump, staring irritably at a pile of mushroom-cubes and your Hakkero."

"Yeah, pretty much. That's where I'm stuck. By the by, where are you going?"

"Where are we going, you mean. Just get up and walk, Marisa. Moving the body moves the mind, maybe."

"It's probably just because your craft is moving things in general."

"Maybe." Alice slowed her pace and let Marisa lead. The two magicians walked and talked, aware that little could really challenge the pair in this neck of Gensokyo.

"You say that you've already got the spell shaped in your head, right? What exactly is stymieing your attempts at actually setting spell to spell card?"

"See, there's my real problem. If I knew exactly what stopped me, it would very quickly cease to stop me."

"Then what's stopped you is not knowing what's stopped you, yeah?"

"Awkwardly said, but pretty much, ze~."

"Then since you know what's stopped you, it should quickly cease to stop you, yes?"

"If only it were so."

"Hmm. Guess it doesn't really work that way then."

"Maybe I should just sit down and try to force it out."

"No way, that'd ruin the beauty of the spell. You can't just sit there and go 'I am going to write today' and plop out something to be proud of. As someone with a maiden's heart, I can't allow that sort of travesty."

"Well, actually, I have tried that, but the details and the implementation always seem to bog me down. The framework and the main idea are there, but the details of the spell, the soul of the spell, aren't. It's unsettling, ze~."

"Well then, we could try to work it out."

"Maybe. You have any suggestions, ze~?"

"As previously mentioned, I think danmaku should be pretty. It should have a soft grace that stirs the heart, something that pulls up the sides of your mouth even as it's beating you."

"Like?"

"Well, you've used love as the inspiration for a lot of your previous spells, so I don't see why you still can't. I'm pretty sold on the love-related things."

"Oh, I definitely agree. A girl's heart is a precious thing, and I do like the love, ze~. However, I feel that writing love looks easier than it really is. If it's done badly, it just comes off as awkward and... well, bad."

"Personally, I'm quite fond of darker-looking spells," a new voice chimed in.

"Oh, hello, Sakuya. Would you like to contribute to this meeting of the minds? My new creation's at stake."

"Well, I think it's the dark spells that are the most impressive, you know? They've got a certain sort of flair about them that's just not present in the fluffier stuff."

"Well, that's true to a certain extent," said Marisa, mulling the prospect over.

"The only reason that's so," interjected Alice, "is because when we first settled on the Danmaku Rules as a method of settling disputes, we chose them because it provided a beautiful method which appealed to the hearts of girls."

"And? My lady's darker spells have their own elegance about them. They stand out amongst the fluff. There's an undeniable appeal about the dark spells."

"Well, it's true that the grim, dark spells have their own sort of appeal. Death and despair awake twitters in a girl's heart, ze~. However, I'm not sure if that's really the road I should be taking for this spell. What do you think, Patchouli?"

"Marisa, when did we walk into the Scarlet Devil Mansion?" asked Alice nervously. She was rather used to making daring escapes out of the Mansion, but not often with Sakuya and Patchouli this close.

"Oh, when you started trying to help, I thought, 'Two heads are better than one, and three is surely better than two', so I started heading for Patchy and her library, ze~."

"Sakuya," asked Patchouli evenly, "How is it that neither you nor the useless gate guard lifted a finger to stop this pair of mice?"

Hushedly, Marisa whispered to Alice. "'Mice' is a fair bit nicer than 'Rats'. She doesn't seem that mad, ze~."

"Well," started the maid, "The useless gate guard is a bit useless."

"Why do you keep her around?" asked Alice.

"Eye candy, ze~" suggested Marisa.

"Regardless, Sakuya, you are normally significantly less useless than the guard, but today you seem to be even terms."

Patchouli's suggestion seemed to visibly sting Sakuya. "I am sorry. The conversation they were having drew me in. I have no proper excuses, but allow me to rid you of them."

Alice glanced over at Marisa, who still seemed unconcerned.

"No, no, that's not necessary. Their conversation has been interesting me for some time, so for now the transgression is excusable. For now."

"I apologize again, Lady Patchouli."

"Has been interesting you?" asked Alice. "How were you eavesdropping on us?"

"I'm quite the proficient magician, you know." replied Patchouli, answering little. "Anyway, the question you two have been discussing is the best sort of thing to discuss. It's the sort of thing I really enjoy wrapping my head around, so let me attempt to answer your question."

"I knew it was a good idea to come here, ze~. As expected of me."

"Well, of course, I'm not sure if you are entirely aware of the question you're even trying to answer. So, Marisa, what is the question you are trying to answer?"

"Pff, that's easy, Patchy. All I've been trying to figure out is how to write this spell."

"Well, to be exact, you're trying to answer the question 'How do I write a good spell?'. It's simple question, but the answer is often fleeting. Any fairy can simply put random magic to paper and come up with a spell, but how can we know if it's good or not?

You and Alice have been discussing this for a while. What exactly i-"

"For a while? How long, exactly, have you been eavesdropping on us?" asked Alice, red in the face. "How exactly are you spying on us?"

"I am quite the proficient sorceress." replied the elder magician. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted. Alice had suggested love for your spells. It is a beautiful thing, yes, and it is a comfortable thing, good to fall back into, but comfort is a dangerous thing for a writer. Even if it's familiar and pleasant, you have to do this well, or it's just fluff.

Sakuya suggested going for something grim and dark. Blood and knives and death and the ilk. This style also has a strong appeal, for exactly the opposite reason that sweet love-things do. Because they are unfamiliar, because they feel so at odds with the norm, they stand out. Because they stand out, they feel like they have a special merit. I must warn you that this is also a dangerous path, since gore for the sake of gore isn't desirable either. If you're doing things simply because you feel that they'll stand out, then the idea itself had little to no merit."

"So then, what's your suggestion, Patchy?"

"The best way to do something well is to do it well. There is no easy way about it. Execute it flawlessly. Implement it perfectly. Be satisfied with what you have done, because when it's done it's done. There are no clear cut paths towards quality, and often you're not sure yourself if something's good when you're done. The only thing you can be sure of is that you've done your best with what you're putting out there, and you can ask nothing more."

That's unsatisfyingly solid advice." said Alice, not sure of what else to say.

"Sit down and try your best, huh..." Marisa mulled the idea over, fiddling with her hat.

"That's all we can ever do," said Patchouli.

"Ah, screw it. I'll just take someone else's spell and put my name on it."


End file.
